California Issues Health Warning About Toxic Nail Polishes

Some nail polishes commonly found in California salons and advertised as free of a so-called “toxic trio” of chemicals actually have high levels of agents linked to birth defects, state chemical regulators said Tuesday.

A Department of Toxic Substances Control report determined that the mislabeled nail products have the potential to harm thousands of workers in more than 48,000 nail salons in California, and their customers.

The use of the three chemicals in nail products is legal if properly labeled. But agency officials said the false claims may violate a state law that requires disclosure of harmful chemicals in consumer products. The state attorney general could decide whether the companies will face legal action, which can include fines and an order to attach warning labels.

Investigators randomly chose 25 brands of polishes that are available only at nail salons, including a number of products claiming to be free of the chemicals toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde, which are known as the toxic trio. Regulators said exposure to large amounts of the chemicals has been linked to developmental problems, asthma and other illnesses.

Investigators found that 10 of 12 products that claimed to be free of toluene actually contained it, with four of the products having dangerously high levels.